Grand Canyon

Chin (Island: A Story of the Galapagos) packs the geologic history of the Grand Canyon into a stunningly illustrated story of a magical father-daughter hike. The duo's daylong trek out of the magnificent landform becomes a journey through time, as discoveries along the trail transport the girl to various eras in the canyon's creation. A prosaic narrative of facts follows their ascent ("Above the basement layer, you'll reach the Grand Canyon Supergroup"), while, at each new rock layer, the girl notices a fossil or other anomaly through a small die-cut hole. Turning the page, readers find her transported across epochs: a trilobite fossil turns into its living namesake as the surprised girl finds herself floating in an ancient sea. Vignettes of flora and fauna from different elevations frame scenes of the hike, as do explanatory sidebars about how rock layers and fossils form. With narrow white borders, the already-realistic ink-and-watercolor illustrations resemble photographs, evoking a scrapbook, and a concluding gatefold opens to reveal an awe-inspiring panoramic portrait of the Grand Canyon near sunset. Endnotes to this multilayered, thorough, and ingeniously assembled primer offer additional ecologic, geologic and anthropologic information. Ages 7-12. (Feb.)

Gr 3-5--A breathtaking walk through multiple habitats and deep time. Beginning at the banks of the Colorado River, a child and her adult companion hike up the South Kaibab trail from 1.84 billion-year-old "basement rocks" past the layers of the Grand Canyon Supergroup, the Bright Angel Shale, and other major formations to the Kaibab Limestone layer at the top. At the same time, the two pass through riparian greenery, sun-baked desert scrub, and pinyon juniper woodland to reach the South Rim's ponderosa pine forest. In Chin's cleanly drawn scenes, viewers who follow along will catch glimpses of characteristic flora and fauna (with other wildlife lined up along the margins) at each elevation, plus clear looks at each distinctive rock layer. Better yet, occasional fossils in the rocks, seen through cutouts, temporarily transport the child with a page turn to prehistoric mudflats, sand dunes, and sea floor. A double gatefold vista vividly underscores Chin's opening proposition that the canyon is "much more than just a big hole in the ground," and the author supplements his information-rich running commentary with further notes and illustrations covering the canyon's history, human settlement, ecology, and geology. It's all Grand. VERDICT An outstanding introduction to one of the world's greatest outdoor wonders, with much to offer elementary students about Southwestern biomes, sedimentary geology, and the profound pleasures of observing nature.--John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New York City

A Caldecott Honor Book
A Sibert Honor Book

"With vivid imagination, a crystal-clear grasp of the facts, and brilliant artwork, this illuminating look at
one of the planet's most fascinating features will entrance young readers."—Booklist, starred review

"Chin (Island: A Story of the Galapagos) packs the geologic history of the Grand Canyon into a stunningly illustrated story of a magical father-daughter hike."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This representation captures the essence of field geology: artifacts of the earth are indeed conduits to the past, brought to life through scientific imagination. The perimeters of some pages are filled with delicate sketches and diagrams in muted colors reminiscent of the dry rock landscape."—Horn Book, starred review

"Just watching the scenery go by in Chin's sumptuous watercolors could be satisfaction enough for many readers, but textual commentary on the rock formations, as well as the ecological communities of flora and fauna in the changing climate zones, form the basis of a multidisciplinary science les- son far more engrossing than kids are likely to encounter in a classroom."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"An outstanding introduction to one of the world's greatest outdoor wonders, with much to offer elementary students about Southwestern biomes, sedimentary geology, and the profound pleasures of observing nature."—School Library Journal, starred review